The gas crisis seems to be over for the time being. But whether the easing of tensions will last depends on many conditions. The most important variable: Will the lower prices be enough for industrial production in the EU to pick up again? British researchers, meanwhile, consider China's influence to be surprisingly small.
By Manuel Berkel
Three appearances, three times the invocation of unity. Putin's State of the Union address makes it clear that he is preparing his country for a long period of war. Joe Biden is received like a pop star in Warsaw. In Brussels, NATO, the EU, and Ukraine demonstrate cohesion.
By Viktor Funk
Morocco and Spain are planning a gigantic construction project under the Strait of Gibraltar. They want to connect Africa and Europe for vehicles, high-speed trains, and natural gas. The great project also requires German expertise.
By Christian Hiller von Gaertringen
The EU Commission informed the German government early on that, according to the Brussels authority, Germany only needs a few terminals for liquefied natural gas (LNG). This emerges from internal minutes obtained by Table.Media. Berlin nevertheless pursued other plans.
By Manuel Berkel
The EU Commission plans a proposal for a regulation with the goal of improving cooperation between data protection supervisory authorities. The background to the initiative is problems with GDPR enforcement.
By Falk Steiner
The EU Commission wants to improve monitoring and risk management for the supply of critical raw materials and create a central coordinating body for this purpose. It is not yet clear what form this should take: Is stronger cooperation between national authorities sufficient? Or does the EU even need an active raw materials agency based on the Japanese model?
By Leonie Düngefeld
China's top diplomat Wang Yi has announced a peace initiative for Ukraine – and is met with skepticism. After stops in Munich and Budapest, he was expected in Moscow. To be credible, a trip to Kyiv would have to follow. Ukraine still has the necessary trust in the People's Republic.
By Redaktion Table
Rolf Nikel had largely finished his book when Russia invaded Ukraine. The former German ambassador to Poland had to start all over. Now he has published "Feinde, Fremde, Freunde" (Enemies, Strangers, Friends), a book about German-Polish relations. In conversation with Till Hoppe and Viktor Funk, Nikel stresses that Germany currently has a duty to build trust. But Poland also has to start working.
By Till Hoppe
Some major online platforms are reluctant to reveal their exact user numbers. But they will probably not be able to avoid it. Germany, too, still has to fulfill its obligations from the DSA – the German government has yet to confirm that the German coordinator has been appointed.
By Corinna Visser
As a consequence of Qatargate, the Christian Democrats are calling for stronger transparency rules for non-governmental organizations. But Fight Impunity and others did not fall through the cracks because they were NGOs but because the EU Commission, the European Parliament and the Belgian authorities did not sufficiently monitor compliance with the applicable rules.
By Charlotte Wirth
